Which tyres will reduce my Audi A1's road noise?

In October 2011 I purchased an Audi A1 SE 1.6 TDI that had clocked 5073 miles. The tyres on this car are Continental 205/55 R15s. On roughly surfaced roads, especially motorways, the tyre noise is intolerable, speed does not appear to be a factor. Would fitting a different make of tyre eliminate road noise.

Asked on 30 June 2012 by IB, Lytham St Annes

Answered by Honest John
That's surprising, because 205/55 R15s are only modestly low profile. High gearing and low engine noise will leave you hearing tyre noise more than you would otherwise.

First, inspect the tyres for uneven wear because you may have an alignment problem. If you find no uneven wear, try altering the pressures upwards a bit. Tyres generally run at lower pressures in winter because of lower temperatures. It may well be that warmer weather eliminates your complaint by itself by increasing the pressures. If you still have a problem, switch to the Michelin Primacy 3 (but this will be expensive).
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